Secondary education covers five or six years divided into cycle
3, the last three years of basic education, and cycle 4 (or the
diversified cycle) of two or three years' duration. On entering
cycle 3, pupils choose an academic course or a technical/vocational
programme. At the end of this cycle, a Certificate is awarded. In
cycle 4, pupils choose a two-year academic course or a three-year
technical course. Both courses follow a core curriculum including
Spanish, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science and Foreign Languages
in addition to the specialized subjects. Satisfactory completion
of this cycle leads to the Bachillerato, which gives access to higher
education but most universities impose an entrance examination.
In technical education it leads to the title of Técnico en el Nivel
Medio or Bachiller en la Enseñanza Media.
Student Exchange Program Costa Rica